Identity

Living where we do, in North America, in the United States, in California, in Orange County, as women, as mothers, as wives we struggle so much with identity.  Who do we want to be?  Who do others want us to be? 
Ephesians 1 holds so many answers because until you know who God says you are you can not begin to determine who you really are.  Your identity, not unlike your morals must be rooted in something, and there is not a more stable place than in God.

Ephesians 1 says that God has blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing:

• He chose us
• We are holy and blameless before him
• He adopted us as sons and daughters
• He redeemed us
• He forgave us
• He made known to us the mystery of His will
• He gave us an inheritance
• And He sealed us with the Holy Spirit

If we can look at this list, and if we can take it seriously, and if we can live like we believe it then it can revolutionize our lives and the lives of those around us.  There is no more striving and stress, there is no more confusion or fear, we have a future given to us by the creator of the universe...

He sought you and chose you, but He didn't stop there, He took away all your blame and shame and adopted you tying you to Himself intimately.  He gave you worth in redemption and forgave the sin that striped you of your worth in the first place. He then provided you with an inheritance that is eternal and sealed you with His Spirit so that no one could take it from you.  And finally He entrusted you with His mysteries and gave you His heart.  

I have asked myself for years, where else would I go?  What a marvelous God we have.

After hearing the call to adopt and looking at the bill I immediately started fretting and striving to raise money.  All the time hearing God in my ear telling me that it would be He who would bring the money we needed and He who would get the glory for doing it.  BUT...I continued.  My efforts brought some trickles but when the big amounts were due people, God's people, stepped up and gave it.  BUT...I continued...in vain.  Well, today I get it.  Today I surrender and humbly say thank you to my God and to those who gave so generously. 
My identity?  Outside of Christ I don't know.  But in Christ I am the daughter of the King, I am forgiven and redeemed and I have an inheritance. 

What does this mean practically?  It means that nothing else matters but pleasing God.  It means that all during this holiday season, when things get so busy that we can't see straight that all we need to do is look up...and smile, because our Father is pleased.  You are His, I am His...Where else would we go?  For He has the words of eternal life.